


200%

by fellasisitgay91219



Series: Neil Josten reads Percy Jackson [2]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Andreil, F/F, F/M, Fan fics, M/M, Plots, The foxes!, andrew just wants his bf to communicate with him, disclaimer i've never read a pjo fan fic, just a silly mess, vague percy jackson spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-18 13:20:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28992816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fellasisitgay91219/pseuds/fellasisitgay91219
Summary: Andrew promised to show Neil his Percy Jackson fic when he reached 200%. The Foxes convince Neil to engineer situations where Andrew gives him a percentageor Neil is chaotically lovable and Andrew can't
Relationships: Allison Reynolds/Renee Walker (All For The Game), Matt Boyd/Danielle "Dan" Wilds, Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Series: Neil Josten reads Percy Jackson [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2121639
Comments: 6
Kudos: 115





	200%

**Author's Note:**

> alrighty! sequel time! hope this is good!  
> also this turned out so long lolll

“Nicky,” Neil said, then paused. He was rethinking all of his life choices. 

Nicky looked up from his coffee and tilted his head. “What’s up, Neil?”

He swiveled away and went over to Matt. He felt like a safer choice. Nicky would still hear him, and still answer, but at least he wouldn’t be blamed for picking him. 

“Matt.” He said, then paused again. Matt looked groggy but ready as always. “I have a question.”

Nicky had followed him to the kitchen island where Matt stood. “Let’s hear it.” he said. 

Neil shot him a look then asked, “What’s fan fiction.”

Their faces were a combination of surprise, amusement and confusion. 

“Uh.” Matt said. “When people write their own version of stories. Have you really never heard of–“

“Why are you asking this?” Nicky asked, bouncing up and down on his heels. He had far too much energy for 7 am. 

Neil looked sheepish. “No reason.”

Nicky shook his head. “No, you have to tell us now. Did you find some on the internet? Did someone...” he leaned in like they were conspiring. “Did someone show you fan fiction.”

Matt’s eyes widened. “My poor and innocent Neil! Have you been exposed to something gross?”

He didn’t even want to touch that. He had seen things Matt could never imagine.

“No. It’s just,” he squeezed his hands. “Someone told me they wrote one. I guess, I guess I knew it was a thing, I just didn’t know it was a thing.”

Nicky narrowed his eyes and stared at him. Neil met his eye contact until he widened his eyes. “You only talk to the foxes! Someone on the TEAM wrote fan fiction!”

He decided that was the moment he should get scarce. 

Back in his room, Andrew was sitting in the window holding an unlit cigarette. He glanced at Neil, then turned back to the view. Neil joined him, happy to take in his silence. 

His phone buzzed. He glanced at it: Nicky. He put it away. 

It buzzed again. Then again. 

“You going to answer that?” Andrew asked. 

After the season had ended, Wymack had gotten him a clip for his phone and turned his ringer on. He also demanded Neil always have it charged. He had protested for a couple of weeks, but Wymack had been adamant. He was to be reachable at all times. 

That didn’t mean he had to respond. 

“No.” He put his hand out, palm up. “Yes or no?”

Andrew eyed it, then placed his cigarette onto Neil’s palm. 

“No I mean, can I hold your hand?”

Andrew took the cigarette back, slipped it into his pocket and looked at him with bored eyes. “You should have said so.” 

He still put his hand in Neil’s. 

They sat there, hand in hand, until the door opened and someone yelled for them. 

Later, when Neil had trained the freshman till they couldn’t catch their breath long enough to complain (what Andrew called, with a straight face, getting their yayas out), he finally looked at his text messages. Nicky had sent him fifteen texts, trying to figure out who wrote fan fiction. The last two texts decided that it was either Kevin or Andrew, with serious doubt placed on Andrew. Nicky seemed sold on Kevin. 

He started to type out, ‘o-k-a’, but real life Nicky slid onto the bench next to him. 

“Does Kevin write RPF? I bet he does. I bet he writes really descriptive exy games and everyone in the comments are like, ‘when are they going to kiss!!!’” Nicky gasped and continued. “I bet he writes 50k slow burn with really specific facts like Victor Hugo’s sewer scenes and most people give up after two chapters but there are like three people who have stuck along and love it.”

Neil opened his mouth to respond, weighed his options, and went with, “Okay.”

Nicky looked at him and frowned. “It’s not Kevin then, is it? Damnit.”

“Uh.”

He was saved from answering when Andrew threw Neil’s keys at him. 

“Let’s go.” He said, then walked out of the locker room. Neil followed, then Nicky, a second later. 

“It’s Andrew, isn’t it.” Nicky hissed, hot on his heels. “Oh my god it is. What could Andrew possibly write about?”

Neil made a noncommittal sound and ran to catch up with Andrew. He hoped that would be the last time Nicky brought it up. 

He was so very wrong. 

When Andrew left for his joint therapy session, Neil decided to pull out Dan’s battered copy of Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian. He was almost done, and spoilers, he was very sad about the people who had died. Allison had told him that Silena and Clarisse had a thing, and he couldn’t stop seeing it. Then Silena died and he had almost teared up. Now things were wrapping up, but he couldn’t help but mourn her loss. 

When he finished, still heavy hearted, he decided to go and talk to Allison about it. 

If past Neil could see him now. 

Allison was sprawled on the couch, her head in Renee’s lap. Nicky was passed out on the floor, Matt and Dan were playing a card game at the coffee table and Kevin was frowning into his history book. 

Neil plopped onto the chair next to Allison. 

“I’m sad Selina died.” He said, handing back her book. 

She looked up at him in surprise. “You finished already? Damn.” She took it and placed it on the floor beside her. “Yeah it sucks, but Rick was doing an Achilles thing.” When Neil just frowned, she continued. “Achilles’ lover, Patroclus, pretends to be him to get him to fight, and dies. Another confirmation Clarilena is real.”

“You should read The Song of Achilles.” Renee told him with her easy smile. “It’s very sad, but beautiful, very gay.”

Neil shrugged. “Okay.”

“We’re a little bit like Clarilena.” Allison continued, looking up and stroking Renee’s face with her hand. “I’m Aphrodite, you’re Ares. We’re both bisexual goals. I’m not going to die for you though.”

Renee smiled down at her. “I would never ask you too.”

Neil looked away. He couldn’t really handle couple softness. He preferred Andrew’s way of communicating his affection. Mean words and kisses that carried the world. 

“What’s next?” He asked, purposefully breaking their soft looks. 

Allison glanced at him. “The Lost Hero. Series two, my personal favorite. I’ll get it for you later.” She glanced down at Nicky lying next to the couch. “Hey, sleepy, get Neil your copy of The Lost Hero.” Then she flicked his face. 

“What’re we talking about?” Nicky asked, sitting up.

“Neil needs to the Lost Hero.”

Nicky yawned. “Oh. Okay.” He rubbed his eyes and when he removed his hands, they had a dangerous glint to them. “Hey Allison did I ever tell you that Neil asked what fan fiction was the other day?”

Allison glanced at Neil, an eyebrow raised. “Planning on reading some, Neil?”

He didn’t even get to answer, Nicky bulldozed over him. “He asked because, wait for it, someone told him they wrote a fan fic.”

Allison sat up. “Oh?” She looked far too engaged for Neil’s liking. 

The last time she looked like this, she bought him a crop top. 

Okay he didn’t hate it. Or rather, Andrew didn't hate it and he really liked the looks he got from him for it. 

“I think,” Nicky leaned in and smirked. “I think Andrew wrote it.”

“Whaaaat!” Matt asked. Neil hadn’t even been aware he had been listening. He slumped into his chair. 

“What do you think it’s about?” Nicky asked. 

Everyone exchanged shrugs. Neil met Renee’s eyes and saw the glint in them; she knew. He slumped further. 

“Wait, do you know Neil?” Nicky asked. He groaned in response. “You DO. Oh my God you have to tell us. Wait let me guess. He ironically writes One Direction y/n fan fics. Or or he writes video game fics. Like, Legend of Zelda. Or Hades. He’s been playing that a lot recently.”

Neil squeezed his eyes shut. “If I tell you, will you stop?”

Nicky made a noise of affirmation. 

“He wrote a Percy Jackson fan fic.”

“WHAT.” 

The Foxes erupted over that and he slumped further into his seat. 

When it got a bit quieter, Dan asked, “What type of Percy Jackson fan fiction?”

“I don’t know.” 

Allison hummed. “I’d say Solangelo. Think, sunshine boy meets gloomy dude.”

Dan frowned. “That’s assuming he wrote it after meeting Neil. I bet he wrote it awhile ago. I’m going to say Percybeth. They’re the only couple most people care about.”

Neil, despite spending the last month reading Percy Jackson, felt two steps behind. “Wait who’s Solangelo? Wait, are you saying I’m a sunshine person?”

Everyone gave him a look, then continued. 

“I feel like he’d write about Percy and Jason.” Matt said. “That’s what I would write about if I was him.”

“Babe?” Dan asked. “Have you written Jercy fan fiction?”

Matt grinned. “I can confidentially say I haven’t. I have read some though.”

Dan took this. 

“Neil, you should ask him.” Allison said. 

Neil stared at his feet. “Well... he did say he’d let me see it if I reached 200%”

“200–“ Dan started to ask. 

Kevin, who Neil had forgotten was in the room, groaned. “Andrew does this thing where he says a percentage number and it’s how much of the time he hates Neil.”

“Wants to kill me.” Neil corrected much to everyone’s shock. “How do you know that?”

Kevin glared at him. “I live with the two of you. You forget I’m there too often.”

Neil wanted to protest this, but he knew Kevin was right. After all, he had just failed to remember that he was in the room just now. 

“Okay so,” Allison’s eyes were sparkling. “What percentage are you at right now?”

Neil thought back. “194%”

Allison grinned. “You just need to annoy him 6 more times.”

To Neil’s defense, he initially protested. He underestimated the force that was Allison Jamaica Reynolds. She was unstoppable when she wanted something to happen. So yes, he tried to stop it, but in the end it wasn’t up to him. 

That he started to enjoy it, well that came after he was in too deep to stop. It was just an added bonus. 

Despite his protests that he would eventually reach 200, Allison wanted it to happen quickly. The Foxes had, unsurprisingly, bet on what it would be, and she wanted to get a victory handbag. Neil decided he would just go along with it. How hard could it be to get 6 percentage points?

His initial thought was to prank Andrew. Then he realized that 1) he didn’t know how to prank anyone, 2) he didn’t particularly feel like angering him and 3) that his number rose from Neil being himself. 

So instead, he got to work planning the most Neil like things to do. 

The next day, Neil woke up and decided to choose chaos. 

His plan was simple, get Andrew to pay attention to his body. That meant wearing as little clothing as possible. So he dressed in the crop top Allison bought him and his smallest running shorts and went for his run. He hoped that when he got back, Andrew would be awake and waiting for him. 

He ran three miles before he couldn’t wait anymore, and went back to the dorm. He glanced at himself in the window of a building. He was sweaty, his shirt clinging to his body. He ran his hand through his hair and folded his shorts up an inch. He hoped this was enough. 

Upstairs, someone wolf whistled as he passed and he flicked them off. Allison raised her eyebrows at him when he passed the girls open door. “What’s the occasion?” She asked. 

“Andrew.” He replied. 

She grinned. 

He went inside his dorm and nodded at Kevin. He gave Neil a glance then went back to his computer. Inside his room, Andrew was staring at his phone, still lying in their bed. He looked soft, the blankets pulled up his chest, his hair spread out behind him, his eyes bleary. Neil’s chest throbbed. There was no limit on how many times he’d see Andrew like this. They had a future ahead of them. 

When he focused, Andrew was glaring at him. “Staring.”

“Yeah.” Neil said. Then he snapped back into focus. He had a plan. “I had a good run.” He said, then stretched his arms up. His crop top flew up, halfway to his shoulders. 

He held back a smirk as Andrew looked him over. He stopped himself from saying ‘Staring’ and continued. “It was pretty hot outside though.” He said, fanning himself. “I felt like I was wearing too much clothing.”

Andrew met his eyes. “Go shower.”

“Okay.” He said. He’d have to try harder. 

He grabbed some clothes from his dresser and silently thanked Nicky for taking him shopping a couple days before. Then he slipped into the shower. 

When he got out, he could hear Renee’s soft voice talking in their living room. He looked over his reflection and grinned. If his sweaty crop top state hadn’t worked, this hopefully would. 

He entered the living room and plopped next to Andrew. Andrew side eyed him, then went back to his conversation. Renee didn’t get the memo and smiled at him. “You look nice, Neil.” She said. “What’s the occasion?”

Neil was wearing a tight sleeveless turtle neck and high waisted, short shorts that cling to his butt. He had tried to style his hair, but ended up just scrunching it up. The icing on top of the cake was his eyeliner. Nicky had persuaded him to buy it and he spent the last half hour trying to mimic a woman in a You-Tube video. He hoped it had paid off. 

Andrew glanced back at him. “Neil.” He said, his mouth a straight line. 

“Yes Andrew?” He asked, trying for flirty. 

Andrew didn’t answer. His nose flared and he glanced at Renee. “Leave.” He said. 

She smiled and got up. “See you later, Andrew.” 

When she was gone, Andrew looked him over with raking eyes. “195%.” He said decidedly, then hovered his hand over Neil’s cheek. 

“Yes or no?”

Neil murmured yes and Andrew caught the S in his mouth. 

“195.” Neil told Allison, sliding into the booth next to her. 

She smirked and glanced at Renee. “I heard my girlfriend was kicked out because of your immaculate fit and eyeliner.” Her eyes were dangerous. “It’s a shame no one else got to see it.” 

He reddened and stared at his menu. “I have some ideas for the next plan, but I think I need some help.” 

“Is this Neil asking us?” Allison asked with faux shock. “Was he replaced with a lookalike?” 

Renee playfully rolled her eyes. “We’d be happy to help, Neil. What were you thinking?”

Neil explained his plan. They were both smiling afterwards. 

“You really like him, huh.” Allison teased. 

Neil didn’t deny it. 

The next day after practice, Neil nodded to Allison and slipped into the drivers seat. Andrew raised an eyebrow at him, but got into the passenger side. The others filed into the car, oblivious. 

“Yes or no?” Neil asked. 

Andrew just looked at him. “Hm. Yes.” 

So instead of driving back to the dorms, Neil drove them to the small ice cream shop near the campus. Andrew frowned when they parked in front of it. 

“What’s this about?” Nicky asked, noticing where they were. 

Neil said nothing and waited for Allison’s car to pull up. 

Andrew stared at him, but Neil just smirked and stepped inside the shop. 

He was surprised that he had never been there before, given Andrew’s affinity for ice cream. It was just an average chain place, but it had some extra southern charm to it. 

He slipped into a seat and waited for everyone to conglomerate behind him. A chirper looking employee came up to him and smiled. 

“Hello! What can I get you today?”

Neil glanced at Andrew. “We’re going to try your vermonster challenge.” 

Someone gasped behind him, but he only cared about Andrew’s reaction. To his relief, he looked vaguely engaged. 

“Alrighty.” She grinned. “Who will be joining us?”

“Allison, Renee, Andrew,” Neil listed. “Matt, Dan, Nicky want to join?” Nicky grinned and nodded. “Anyone else?”

Aaron begrudgingly agreed. Kevin shook his head and murmured that they were ruining their bodies. 

“And Neil.” Andrew added. 

Neil shook his head. “No I’m good.”

Andrew raised an eyebrow. “This was your idea, birthday boy. You have to help.”

The lady smiled. “It’s your birthday?! How fun!”

Neil gritted his teeth. “I guess there’ll be 8 of us then.”

She smiled and moved over to the ice cream section. “You get 20 scoops, what do you want?”

Neil let everyone decide and hung back. He hadn’t anticipated Andrew dragging him into this. He just wanted to do something nice for his boyfriend, he hadn’t wanted to make himself sick on ice cream. 

“This is a horrible idea.” Kevin hissed in french behind him. “You’re going to destroy your body.”

“It’s fine.” Neil sighed. “Andrew wants me to, so I will.”

Kevin muttered but didn’t protest any further. 

Everyone gathered around the humongous bowl. Neil swallowed. This seemed like his hell. 

“Are you excited, Birthday boy?” Andrew asked, besides him. 

Neil gave him a look. “Are you?” He retorted. 

Andrew gave him a rare smile. It wasn’t much, just the corners of his mouth poking up. “You couldn’t comprehend how excited I am.” He deadpanned. 

Neil took that as the truth. 

“Are you ready?” The lady asked. “I’m going to time y’all.”

Nicky nodded. “Let’s do this team!”

“Ready, set, go!”

They dug in. 

Neil had to stop a minute in. Renee joined him after two. They watched as the others forced it down. It was disgusting. Neil only had eyes for Andrew. 

If he was being honest, this was the happiest he had seen him since meeting him. His eyes were glimmering as he shoveled ice cream into his mouth. Neil couldn’t even be disgusted at him. He looked good, cleaning ice cream off of his spoon. Too good. 

Neil focused on the ceiling and missed Nicky almost throwing up. 

They finished in seven minutes. Andrew wiped his mouth and stared at Neil with an intense look. 

“196%.” He said, then dragged him outside. 

Neil quickly said yes and let Andrew push him against the wall and kiss him until he could taste every flavor they had chosen. 

The aftermath of the vermonster was not pretty. Neil decided he was best off leaving the dorm all together, so he grabbed the Lost Hero and hid in the library. 

He was almost halfway through with it. His thoughts so far were: Jason was generic and could never replace Percy, Piper was badass and Leo was annoying, but likable enough. He thought the new premise was cool, but missed Percy. He hadn’t realized how attached he was to the main character till he was gone. 

“Oh! Hey, Neil!” A voice was saying. He recognized it enough to continue staring at his book. 

“Neil?” The voice asked again. It was right in front of him. 

He held in a sigh and looked up. Katelyn was smiling down at him. 

“Percy Jackson, huh? That’s my childhood.” She sat down next to him and he guessed he wouldn’t get to back to his book for awhile. “Are you enjoying it?”

He nodded. “It’s good.”

She grinned. “It really is! I think my OTP is Percybeth. I think I relate too much to Piper and Jason though, if you ignore the Trials of Apollo. They’re the only characters who actually have trouble getting together, like... well, Aaron and I. Our situation was a bit different though, haha.” 

He frowned. Spoilers. “What’s up with the combination name thing?” He asked, changing the subject. 

Katelyn opened her mouth and widened her eyes. “Ship names?! Neil!! How do you not know about ship names.”

He didn’t give that a response. Katelyn continued anyways, “You combine two peoples names when they are in a relationship. To show you support their relationship. Or just to have a short hand for them. Mine is Kaaron. Renee and Allison are Renallison. I guess yours is...” Her eyes lit up. “Andreil. That’s a good one.”

“Andreil.” He tried out. “Andreil.”

Katelyn beamed. “It’s good, isn’t it! You should popularize it.”

An idea formed in Neil’s mind. “Thank you. I’m going to read now.”

Katelyn waved good bye and left him to his next plot. 

He returned to the foxes after getting lunch to find them all slumped in the common room. Even Andrew was curled up on a chair looking unhappy with his body. Kevin was ranting about how they did this to themselves. He shut up when Neil glared at him. 

He sat on the arm of Andrew’s chair. 

“How are you feeling?” He asked. 

His boyfriend just glared at him. 

“You can rest your head on my thigh.” He murmured. Andrew stared at it, then complied. “Can I?” He asked, hovering his hand above his hair. 

Andrew nodded. 

Neil ran his fingers through his hair. He had been on the receiving end of that enough times to know it felt unreasonably good. He hoped Andrew felt the same. 

When Andrew groaned, he took that as confirmation. 

“Oh my god.” Nicky murmured. “Look at them.” 

Andrew sat up abruptly and reached for his knives. 

Neil decided to pull out his next weapon. “We are cute, aren’t we?”

Andrew froze. Nicky froze. The whole room was staring at him. “One might say that we are hashtag Andreil hashtag goals.” 

Matt started to cry. “My baby boy.” He told Dan. “He’s all grown up!”

Dan patted his head. “He had to one day.”

“I hate you.” Andrew said. 

“Mmhmm.” Neil replied. He waited for Andrew to continue. Everyone did. He did not. 

He put his head back on Neil’s thigh and guided his hand back into his hair. He didn’t even stir when Nicky snapped a picture of them. 

Neil needed to up his game.

It seemed that word had spread about their ‘ship name’. By the end of the week, even Wymack was using it, if only begrudgingly. Only Kevin and Aaron abstained from using it. 

Andrew pulled out his knives the first couple times someone said it to his face, but when it didn’t relent, he gave up. He continued to scowl at anyone who called them that, but no one got seriously injured over it. (There was one close call. Nicky filmed himself yelling it at them and when Andrew took a menacing step towards him, he stumbled backwards and almost fell down a flight of stairs.)

Still, it seemed that Neil’s plot hadn’t worked. Andrew didn’t add any percentages nor did he say ‘I hate you’ again. Neil was just waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

It came on friday, when they were eating together in the newly reopened dining hall. School would be starting again, and even though Neil missed actually playing exy, he had gotten used to reading and hanging out with his friends all day. (He was on the Mark of Athena now and it was his favorite book yet.) 

Anyways, Andrew was staring at his phone and Neil was reading, when a familiar voice cried, “Andreil!!” 

Katelyn. 

She slid into the seat next to him and grinned. “I’m so glad I created that. I’ve been hearing everyone call you it and it just warms my heart.”

Andrew dropped his phone. His eyes were deadly. “You what.”

Katelyn looked nervous and glanced at Neil. “I thought he’d tell you... I created that ship name for you. I thought you liked it, or else no one would be calling you it...”

Andrew stood up and grabbed Katelyn’s shirt, calmly pulling her into the table. Everyone in the dining hall gasped and stared at them. 

“I better not see you until our next game.” Andrew hissed. 

Neil stood up. “It’s my faul-“

“You.” Andrew dropped Katelyn and she scurried away. “Don’t do that again.”

Neil sat down and Andrew followed him. 

“197%.” 

He decided he would take a break after getting to 197. He had taken it a bit too far, though the number seemed to suggest Andrew wasn’t as pissed as he let on. Still, he just wanted to start the semester with a happy boyfriend. 

Besides, he was only three points away. The others could wait a bit longer for their Percy Jackson fan fic. 

When he told them, they were sad, but understanding. Kevin grimaced and said, “Finally.”

Life seemed to move in fast motion after that. School started and their practices intensified. Neil got into more arguments with one of their new recruits and Andrew had to physically pull them apart twice. There also seemed to be press everywhere. It seemed Lola was going on trial soon, and they wanted to know how he felt about that. Or, in reality, they wanted to get a story out of him. 

Neil hated it. 

After he told the press to ‘shut the fuck up and get out of my business’, Wymack pulled him aside and gave him a look. “I want you to have someone with you at all times, you hear me? No more talking to the press. I want Andrew or even the upperclassman to handle it for you.”

Neil didn’t answer that technically Andrew was an upperclassman now, and nodded. 

He mostly stuck to Andrew, though on the rare occasion that his schedule matched up with someone else, he went with them. He was reminded of the year before, when Wymack had done a similar strategy. Only this time, all of the pain and danger were behind him. It was only the press. They held no power over him. 

Thursday before their first game was not a good day. He woke up and couldn’t remember where he was. He reached for his gun and it wasn’t under his pillow. He couldn’t breathe for a minute, maybe two and thought, “This is it. After everything, I’m going to suffocate myself.” 

His day hung under a cloud of darkness, exasperated by Kevin’s yelling and, of course, the press. He was going into his math class, Andrew at his elbow, when a press member yelled, “Do you miss him?”

Neil tried. He really did. He had worked so hard to keep himself under control the last week and he just couldn’t that day. 

He whipped around and looked for the offending journalist. “What?” He asked. 

Andrew stood at his side, wary but didn’t stop him. He was thankful for that. 

“Do you miss him? Your father.”

Neil balled up his fists. “Your mother should be ashamed she birthed you. Unless she stroked her stomach and said, ‘Wow I hope my child is a nasty little journalist who asks young adults if they miss their abuser, the person who was willing and going to torture them until they died.’ I hope she’s regretting every fucking choice that made you into this piece of human trash standing in front of me. She should write you out of her will and hope that her friends don’t ask her if she misses you.”

He smiled. A dangerous thing. 

“No I don’t.” Then he stormed into the building, Andrew hot on his heels. 

“Neil.” He said. 

Neil stopped walking and turned around. “Going to tell me off?” He growled. 

Andrew stared at him. His eyes were unwavering when he said, “No. Don’t let anyone give you shit for that.” He opened his arms. A hug. Neil fell into them and let Andrew cocoon him to safety. 

“198%.” Andrew murmured. It was one of the softest things he had ever said. 

“I got another percentage point.” Neil told Matt in the locker room. His friend exchanged a look with Dan. 

“That’s great.” Dan said, her voice not reflecting her words. “Are you okay? We heard what happened.”

Neil shrugged it off. “I had an off day. I didn’t even mean to get it. It just happened. 198.” He said, his voice revealing awe. “He wants to kill me 198% of the time.”

Dan and Matt exchanged a look, then started to talk about the game. They were worried about the freshman, they were excited for their first win, they couldn’t wait to face the Ravens in four weeks. 

Neil followed the conversation, but felt above it all. All he could think about was that he belonged. He was safe. He was free. He just needed to be good at exy, and his life would run smooth. He existed. 

They won their first game, then their second. Neil thought up his next plot. He had to enlist Kevin for this one. He was not excited for that argument. 

Kevin was the only person who hadn’t been engaging at all. Even Aaron had joined some bets (He thought it would be Percybeth and fluff, over Nicky who thought it would be Solangelo smut. Neil had to look up that last word and was very embarrassed that he had done so at the library.) Kevin refused to participate though. Neil guessed this would be like pulling teeth. 

An hour before night practice, he cornered him in their kitchen. 

“Kevin.” He said. 

Kevin eyed him warily. “Neil.”

He took a deep breath and said, “I need you to do something for my latest Andrew plot.”

Kevin narrowed his eyes. Neil braced himself for the rejection. 

“You’re only 2 points away, right?” Kevin said instead. Neil nodded. “If this helps you finish this waste of time, then whatever.”

Neil didn’t let himself be shocked. “Okay. Okay. Let’s do this.”

Neil’s plan was simple. He was going to push Andrew to have a tough one on one evening practice. He didn’t use this word lightly, but it was going to be so very sexy. 

That evening, they piled into Andrew’s car, and he exchanged a look with Kevin. Phase one enacted. 

“The ravens have a new striker.” Kevin said conversationally. It sounded normal coming from his mouth, not like Neil had scripted it for him. Maybe Kevin was secretly an amazing actor. Or Neil knew him well enough to write realistic lines. “Apparently they’re a master at tricky shots.”

“Okay.” Andrew said, his expression bored. He normally didn’t tolerate any exy talk targeted at him, so this was a good sign. 

“I think we should practice you deflecting those tonight.” Kevin pressed on. Again, word for word Neil. “I can do it obviously-“

“Kevin.” Neil interrupted. They had practiced that five times to make it perfect. “Don’t pressure him. Besides, I’m not sure what good it’ll be. We only have two weeks and they are crazy good.” 

Kevin groaned. “Not this again. We beat the ravens, Neil. We can take them again.”

Okay that line was a little out of character. Neil had limited time to write a script, okay?

“I’m just worried about...” He faltered off and stared at his lap. “About me. What if I’m not good enough to get past their goalie?”

Andrew was pulling into the parking lot now. His interest seemed to be waning. 

Kevin finished the script hurriedly. “Well then! Why don’t we kill two birds with one stone? You against Andrew, one on one. Sound good?”

Neil paused as if to think then said, “That’s alright with me. Andrew?”

He parked the car and glanced at them, coolly amused. “Whatever.”

Neil beamed and hurried to the locker room. 

Kevin didn’t change out, so Andrew and Neil were left alone. 

“You’re funny.” Andrew said, his voice humorless. “Writing Kevin a script?”

Neil paused. “What?”

“See you.” Andrew replied then patted his shoulder. 

Neil was quite honestly, scared. Andrew, it seemed, had caught onto his ploy. Even worse, he was going along with it. Suddenly this seemed like a horrible idea. 

He finished putting on his uniform and went out to the court. 

Andrew was putting his all into the game. Neil had never found him so sexy and so terrifying. Every shot was blocked and lobbed at him. He had to jump to avoid tripping on balls. He figured out halfway through the match, one goal in, that Andrew was mad at him for something. He didn’t know what though. 

Distracted, he tripped over the ball and fell, his ankle making a sickening noise. 

“No!” Yelled Kevin. Neil groaned and grabbed at his leg. 

Andrew was at his side in a minute. He pressed his hand into Neil’s ankle, eliciting a yelp. “Hospital.” He decided. 

Neil shook his head. “No, please, no.”

Andrew raised an eyebrow at him. “Stand up then.”

Neil, maintaining eye contact, pushed himself up and attempted to stand on his ankle. He fell, again, this time into Andrew’s arms. 

“What did you do to him!” Kevin yelled, now on the court. 

Andrew scooped him up and Neil was reminded of the night that started this all, board game night. Only this time he was in pain and Andrew was vaguely mad at him. 

“We’re going to the hospital.” Andrew said, and carried Neil out. 

The drive was a blur, the combination of Kevin’s tense voice and Andrew’s empty one. Neil felt like this was the most pain he had ever been in. He knew that was a lie, he had been shot before, but still. He was blacking out. 

Andrew carried him into the hospital. He vaguely remembered murmuring, “You’re so strong and sexy.”

He was pretty sure Andrew replied. “Oh Neil.” And maybe, “199%, you idiot.” If he was remembering correctly though, his voice was soft and concerned. 

Neil came to in a hospital bed. His foot was wrapped and someone had put the House of Hades on his bedside table. It had been stressing him out for days that Percy and Annabeth were stuck in Tartarus. Now it would be a nice relief from the stress of his ankle and his future. 

“Neil! You’re up!” Said a chipper voice. Nicky. 

Neil nodded at him, then turned to find Andrew at his other side. 

“Nicky.” He said. “Can you leave? We need to talk.”

His friend huffed, but got up and left. 

“Andrew.” Neil said. “Why were you mad at me?”

Andrew looked, quite frankly, horrible. His hair stuck up everywhere and his eyes were darkened. Neil guessed he felt guilty for the mess of his ankle. 

“You didn’t ask.” He said eventually. 

“What?” 

“You and Kevin created this play to coerce me into playing. When you should have just asked.”

Oh. “Oh.”

“I thought you were better then them.”

Well that stung. “You’re right. I should have just asked.” He reached his hand out. After a second Andrew took it. “Hope I didn’t cause you too much distress.” He said. 

Andrew sighed. “You’ve caused me enough for one lifetime.”

They spent the rest of his visit in silence. When Kevin came, Andrew rolled his eyes and left. Kevin yelled at him for being irresponsible, for putting his games over exy, for endangering his career. When he was all out of breath, Neil asked, “Do you remember Andrew saying 199% when he carried me into the hospital?”

One more percentage. Months after learning Andrew’s secret. He didn’t know if he cared about it anymore. The others didn’t seem that interested anymore. They had divided into two strong camps: Percybeth and Solangelo, and neither side would relent. He supposed learning the truth would end that, but he wasn’t sure they wanted to learn the truth. 

Anyways, he didn’t have any plans for the last point. Kevin was right, he had prioritized percentage points over exy. He was lucky that his ankle hadn’t been broken. He had managed to play against the Ravens and secured them a win. He wasn’t going to waste that newly renewed energy on silly games anymore. 

Besides, Andrew seemed suspicious. He seemed to be watching Neil more than ever, his gaze unwavering, even when he met it. He didn’t want Andrew to know that he had done all of that mess just to see a fan fic. 

On another note, Allison had sent him his first ever fan fiction. He had been pleasantly surprised with it. It was a lot softer then the real Percy Jackson books. He kinda enjoyed the domesticity of it. 

He wondered what would happen if he just asked Andrew to see the fic. He’d probably show him. That would feel anti climatic though. He decided he’d just wait for his number to go up.

“Neil I have a great idea.” Allison said one sunday afternoon, her feet resting on Renee’s lap. Everyone else had found themselves out of the dorms, but he had stayed behind to read the final Hero’s of Olympus book. Allison and Renee had stayed behind to enjoy each other’s company. 

Neil looked up from his book. “Hmm?”

“You should take Andrew on a date.”

He frowned. “What?”

“Andrew, date.”

“Why?”

Allison rolled her eyes. “You haven’t spent quality time together in weeks.”

He shrugged. “I’ve been busy.”

Allison gave him a look. “Well, next weekend we don’t have a game. Reserve a table at a restaurant and go on a date.”

Neil scrunched up his face. “I don’t think he’d like that.”

Allison raised an eyebrow. “Free food? A nice evening with his boyfriend? I think he’ll love it.”

“Andrew doesn’t always express it,” Renee said softly, “But he enjoys spending time with you, wherever you are.” 

Neil gave this a thought then sighed. “Are you going to pay for it?”

Allison smiled. “I’ve already reserved you a table. They’ll bill it right to me.” 

Neil supposed this was going to happen. 

He told Andrew later. 

“What.” He replied. 

Neil shrugged. “Allison thought it was a good idea. Free food though. I hear this place has fancy desserts.” He had not, but he guessed it would. After all, it allowed you to reserve tables. It must have nice desserts. 

Andrew looked at him then sighed. “I’m dressing you.”

“Good.”

“Good.”

They stared at each other. 

“Is something wrong? You won’t stop,” Neil blushed, “Staring at me.”

Andrew raised an eyebrow. “You’re hot, what can I say.”

Neil knew this wasn’t the reason, but he let it slide. 

The week passed by quickly. It felt odd not having an exy game and still being anxious and nervous and exhilarated for the weekend. He wondered what Andrew would get him to wear. Nothing so outlandish, he hoped. 

Andrew handed him a hanger with a bag hanging off of it on Saturday. He wondered for a second if he was supposed to wear the bag. “Get changed.” Andrew said. “Meet me at the car.”

Neil took it and went to the girls room. He has promised Allison he’d let her do his makeup. That would be his surprise for Andrew, since he already knew what he was wearing. 

Inside the bag was a dark blue suit. It felt too nice for a simple dinner date. Allison cooed over it and Dan gushed about him growing up. 

He got dressed, let Allison do his hair and eyeliner, then went to the car. 

Andrew was leaning against it, looking infinitely cool. He was wearing a black shirt, a black blazer and black pants. Neil got a glimpse of black nail polish when he flipped his keys around on his fingers. 

“You look annoying.” Andrew said. “Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t blow you.”

Neil blushed at the callback. “You still haven’t.” He mumbled. 

Andrew stilled. “Hmm?”

Neil looked up, just before climbing into the passenger seat. “A lot of promises and no follow through. I’ve yet to get a blow job.” He said, trying for confidence. 

Andrew looked him over, getting stuck on his eyes. “Today might be your lucky day then.” He said evenly, then climbed into the car. 

The restaurant was a lot nicer then Neil had imagined. He was glad for the suit. They were seated and ordered and he couldn’t stop feeling the buzz under his skin. Andrew had promised to blow him. He hadn’t realized how badly he wanted that, until it was so close. 

“Seriously though.” He said out of nowhere. “Why have you been staring at me extra recently?”

Andrew quirked an eyebrow and bit into the table bread. “You’re hot. You’re my boyfriend. What else is there to say?”

Neil shivered at that word. Andrew rarely said it out loud. 

“Am I hot?” He asked. “Or am I just a basic white guy?”

Andrew glared at him. “Who planted this idea into your head?”

Neil looked at the table. “...Aaron.”

Andrew snorted and he laughed. He felt warm inside, light too. Like someone had lifted a cold stone out of his pocket and wrapped him in a soft blanket. 

“I thought you were planning something else.” Andrew said eventually. “This date, I suppose.”

Neil forced a laugh. “Yeah yup that’s it.”

Andrew raised an eyebrow. “You’re a terrible liar.”

“I used to lie to stay alive.”

“How did that work out for you?”

Neil shook his head. “I’m alive, aren’t I?”

Andrew leaned back. “Barely. Now what’s the plot.”

“Don’t hate me.” Neil said, then laughed at the irony of it. 

Andrew snorted. “Oh Neil. Don’t you know? I already hate you. In fact, you’ve reached 200%.”

Neil gaped. “It finally happened.”

“What.”

Neil grinned. “I reached 200%. You have to show me your Percy Jackson fan fic.”

Andrew stared at him. “No.”

“Yup.” 

“You've been manipulating me into increasing it.”

Neil’s grin widened. “Rules are rules.”

Andrew scrunched up his face. “I hate you.”

“I know.” Neil couldn’t stop grinning. 

“201%. No Percy Jackson.”

“That’s not how that works.”

They stared at each other for a minute, maybe more. Then, wordlessly, Andrew got out his phone, pulled up AO3 and handed it to Neil. 

He had one work, and it had a thousand plus kudos. 

“Fuck.”

“Hurry up.”

Neil read the description and whispered, “Damn.” No one was going to win the bet. The fic was about Jason and Thalia reuniting. 

“Wait.”

“What?” Andrew dared him, eyebrow quirked. 

“This is... this is like you and Aaron. You-“

“Bee suggested it. She thought it would be a good way to work through some feelings. Don’t tell the upperclassman that part.” He smirked and Neil was reminded of the first Andrew he had met. “Want to keep my cool facade.”

Neil nodded and read. 

It was really beautiful. Dark, sad, kind of out of character, but beautiful. Thalia was obviously Andrew, which was funny because Katelyn had once compared her relationship to Piper and Jason. Neil found it fitting. 

“Thank you.” He said. 

Andrew nodded. 

“Do I get a reward for the next number I hit?” Neil asked. 

Andrew shook his head and leaned in. “Yes or no?”

Neil kissed him. 

“I have an answer.” Neil said. Again, Andrew and Aaron were out for therapy. “I successfully reached 200% and now can settle all bets.”

Everyone’s, even Kevin’s, attention was on him. 

“Any last changes?”

Allison shook her head.

“You all lost. Andrew wrote about Jason and Thalia.”

The common room filled with noise. Neil smiled. This was his family. 

“At least your sex life benefited from this.” Allison grumbled as she put away her wallet. 

Neil beamed. His whole life had, if he was being honest. 

“I finished the Blood of Olympus. What’s next?”

Nicky tilted his head. “The Kane Chronicles? Or the Trials of Apollo?”

Neil shrugged. He loved having choices.

**Author's Note:**

> \- Neil definitely thinks "One Direction y/n" means "One Direction yes/no" (as did I the first time I heard of it sjdjfh)  
> \- most of his PJO opinions are mine lol  
> \- hope you enjoyed it :)


End file.
